Fabric covered articles



March 15, 1960 H. KOEHL 2,928,154

FABRIC COVERED ARTICLES Filed April 1. 1955 FIGJO FIGJI IN VEN TOR.

HE RMAN KOEHL HIS ATTORNEYS ered.

Unite FABRIC COVERED ARTICLES Herman Koehl, Danielson, Conn., assignor to C.E.M. Company, Danielson, Conn., a partnership consisting of Hans A. Prym, Walther Conta, and'Herinan Koehl Application April 1, 1955, Serial No. 498,716

4 Claims. (Cl. 24--184) V v This'invention relates to covered articles and particularly relates to fabric covered buckles, buttons and similar articles. 7

Buckles, buttons and the like have, generally heretofore States Patent ce similar parts, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show a preferred embodi-.

been covered by a fabric which has either been glued to the face of the article to be covered or has been attached thereto by means of providing hook-like teeth on the:

article around the periphery of the rear face thereof, and hooking the ends of the fabric, which have been drawn around the front face, into such teeth. In order to prevent the cover from slipping oif the article, a backing plate was generally used to lockthe fabric in position.

.The above covering methods, however, have certain disadvantages, one of the most serious of which is the fact that the article can only be covered on one face,

when using the backing plate; whereas, when using the gluing method, the glue invariably tends to dry and to.

disintegrate, resulting in the covering material away from the article.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a method for covering articles with a fabric whereby'all surfaces of the article are substantially covfalling Another object of the present invention is to provide of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein: a .Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of a buckle frame embodying the present invention wherein the slot is offset toward the inner periphery of the frame. 1

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the buckle frame of Fig. 1 taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar tothat of Fig. 2, except that the frame is covered.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3 except that a fabric insert which may be of a different color than the cover, is inserted in the slot.

'Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Fig. 4, but showing a rigid insert substituted for the fabric insert of Fig. 4. v

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of a buckle frame similar to Fig. 1, but showing a toothed slot which is provided in the center of theframe.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the buckle frame of Fig. 6.

is similar to the cover 16.- may be completely closed by the clamped-together edges 2' r Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 7 but showing a cover applied to the frame, this view being taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

s Fig. 9'is a cross-sectional view, similar to that shown in Fig. 8, but showing a fabric insert in the slot defined 1 by the toothed edges of the buckle frame. 1

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view, similar to Fig. 9, but showing a rigid insertin the slot.

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a covered button embodying the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a second type of covered button embodying the present invention.

Fig. .13 is a cross-sectional view of a third type of covered button embodying the present invention.

Referring now in greater detail to the figures of the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to ment of the invention comprising a buckle 10 having'a generally tubular frame 12, formed from aspring metal X sheet, one edge 13 of which is bent toward the other edgeto form a narrow slot 14 at the rear of the frame.

A fabric cover 16 is pulled tightly around the frame 12,

and theflends 18 of the covert'are inserted through the slot 14. Theresilience of the bent edge 13 acts to urge. this bent edge into slot closing position. As a result, the cover material which has been inserted in the slot.

is caused to jam therein if an attemptis made to pull the material out. bent edge 13 is a highly important aspect of the present invention. 1

In the above manner, the cover is maintained in fixed position on the frame and covers substantially the entire cross-sectional periphery thereof, except for the narrow slot'14 at the rear. Although the cover 16 has been described as being a fabric cover, the term fabric is here used generically to apply not only to a textile mate: rial butalso to leather, plastic and other types of similarly flexible material.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a buckle 20 which is substarr tially similar to that of Figs. 1, .2 and 3, except that a:

strip of material 22 is doubled up and inserted within the slot 26.. The protruding edges of the strip of material 22 may then be shaved down'so that they lie in substantially the same peripheral plane as the cover 24, which In this manner the slot 26 of the strip 22.. v

In Fig. 5 there is shown a cross-sectional view of a buckle 28 which is similar to that shown in Fig. 4 in every I respectexCept for the fact that a rigid insert 30 having 1 a flange 32'is' substituted for the insert 22. This rigid insert may be made of metal, plastic, or the like-and is 'so constructed that the flange 32 fits within the slot 34' to maintain the'face-portion 36 of the-insert rigidly positioned on the periphery of the device. I

-It should benoted that inserts 26 and 30 may be either the same as the color of the cover member or, if desired,

they may be of any other contrasting or harmonizing color. In this manner, a two-tone effect may be obtained which is. not readily obtained by the prior covering methods.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 there are lllustrated the crosssectional views of a modified form of buckle wherein the metallic frame 38 is U-shaped in cross section and wherein the resilient legs 39 and 40 of the cross-sectionally U-shaped frame are bent diagonally inward and toward each other to define a slot 41. The edges of the legs are toothed, as indicated at 42. As shown in Fig. 8, a fabric cover 44 is drawn tightly around the frame 38, with the ends 46 of the cover inserted within the slot 41, and are rigidly fixed therein not only by the clamping action of Patented Mar. 15, "19601 Ihis holding or gripping action of the.

the flexible metal edges of the slot but also by the gripping action of the-teeth 42. Also, as indicatedin Fig. 8, the construction and arrangement of the legs 39 and 40 is such that they possess the additional tendency to lock against each other if a pulling force is exerted in the direction of the V-axis.

Fig. 9 corresponds to Fig. 8 in the same way as Fig. 4 corresponds to Fig. 3; that is, the device of Fig. 9 is similar to that of Fig. 8 except that a fabric insert 48 is inserted in the slot 50 of the frame member 52. The insert 50 mayalso be either the same or a different color from that of the cover member 54. I

Fig. shows the same construction as Fig. 9 except that a rigid insert 56 having aflange 58 is substituted for the. flexible insert 50' Figs. 11, '12 and 13 show three different variations of the present invention as applied to fabric-covered buttons.

in Fig. 11 a button 60 is shown, this button comprising a spring metal disc 62 which is circular in shape. disc 62 is provided with an annular fiange 64 at the rear portion thereof, this flange 64 being arcuately curved to form an annular slot 66 between the rear face of the disc and the end of the flange. The central portion of the disc is provided with a concave recess 68 in which is fixed the ends of an eyeiet 70. A fabric covering material 72 is stretched over the front face of the discand is then pulled around the annular flange 64, and the edge 74 of the cover is then inserted into the slot 66 where it is clampingly maintained between the rear face of the disc and the edge of the annular iiange. In this manner a generally concave button is provided which'is com- 7 pletely covered on all exposed parts.

In Fig. 12 a button 76 is shown; thisibutton 76 comprising-a circular disc 78 having an annular flange 80 on the front face thereof, as distinguished from Fig. 10 where the flange is on the rear face of the button. The annular flange 88 is arcuately curved, similarly to flange 64, and forms a slot 82 between the front face of the disc and the edge of the flange. The rear face of the disc is provided with an integral eyelet 84. A cover member 86 is drawn around'the rear of the button and the edge 88 of the cover 86 inserted into the slot 82 where it is clampingly retained. A circular piece of material 90. is pressed against the front face of the disc 78 and the annular edge 92 of this material 90 is inserted into the slot 82 where it is also clampingly retained. In this mannerthe button is completely covered both at the front and rear. In such a construction, openings are preferably provided in the rear portion of the cover in line with the eyelet 84.

In Fig. 13 there is shown a button 94 which comprises a generally rectangular disc 96. This disc 96 is provided with a concave portion 98 in the center and an eyelet The a edges 110 of this cover are clampingly secured within the slot 106. A front covering panel 112 is provided against the front face of the disc 96 and is maintained in position thereon by means of inserting the edges thereof between the ring 104 and the front face of the disc 95. This two-part button construction permits the eyelet on the rear face of the button, to be maintained in exposed .position. Furthermore, it is much simpler and less expensive to stamp out the separate ring and disc than to form the'parts integrally. It should be noted that both of the front covers 90 and 112 may be constructed either of flexible or of rigid material, and'may be either of the same or different colors relative to the other portions of the covering material.

What is claimed is:

1. An article incorporating means for attaching a fabric sheet about its outer surface comprising a tubular frame made of resilient material, the wall of said frame being separated to provide a very narrow preformed slot passing through the surface of said tubular frame so that the walls bounding said slot are almost in contact with each other, said slot being disposed substantially parallel to the side walls of said frame and extending completely along the entire length of said frame, the terminal por- 'tions of said walls bounding said slot being inclined within said .slot towards each other and toothed in a manner which causes the points of said teeth to'form at least one boundary of said slot for facilitating the introduction of the ends of said fabric within said slot and for grasping fabric inserted therein, and the width of said slot being narrow enough to permit the resiliency of said frame and said teeth to exert a clamping action upon :a

sheet of fabric when it is looped about said article and its ends are forcefully inserted through and Within said slot whereby said fabric is securely fastened about said article. p

' 2. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein both of said terminal portions are toothed.

3. An article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tubular frame is formed in a closed. continuous shape.

4. An article as set forth in claim 2 wherein said closed continuous shape is substantially rectangular with rounded corners to provide a form for a buckle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

487,959 McDonald 2 Dec. 13, 1892 699,424 Stouder May 6,1902 1,213,695 Scutti Jan. 23, 1917 1,282,612 Massey Oct. 22, 1918 2,087,201 Cox July 13, 1937 2,102,717 Jennings Dec. 21, 1937 2,133,482 Scuderi Oct. 18, 1938 2,260,812 Ward May :14, 1940 2,202,673 Samuelson May 28, 1940. 2,204,928 Culver June 18, 1940 2,228,771 Levin et al. "Jan. 14, 1941 2,643,430 Koehl et al. an--- June 30, 1953 2,704,688 Adell Mar. 22, 1955 

